A monkey ‘pirate' troop plunged into the sea after trying to steal squid from a fisherman's boat.

The primates waited until the vessel was docked near shore before climbing in it and tasting the morning catch in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, Thailand on June 5.

Footage shows dozens of primates jumping into the water after searching the boat for seafood. Most of them, however, left empty-handed as the squid was secured in sealed boxes.

Fisherman Sorsuk who was on another boat about 30ft-away said the monkeys live on the island and would always wait for boats to come.

He said: ‘They know when a boat has food but we learned to keep the catch in secured boxes so that the pirates couldn't steal them.'